20AL wiring

[shadow67]

I recently acquired a 20AL candlestick phone. I have a diagram that shows the wiring connections, but when I opened this thing up it looks very strange. The screw terminal for R is missing but there is a s short black jumper wire soldered to the hole and the other end screws onto Y terminal. My diagram says the transmitter wires should go to Y and YY but on this phone they go to W and GN. The sunset wires according to the diagram are hard to see but mine go to Y, GN and YY. The phone came with a receiver and its cord but it was separate and not connected. I opened it up to wire the receiver. Is this a valid setup, and which terminals would the receiver go to? I was going to try to just rewire it, but the missing screw terminal makes that not appear possible at this point. Is there a way to use what is here and connect the receiver in such a way it will work? Thanks

[RB]

Hi Shadow.
Not sure about your stack config.
Rec seems to be on YY which is the bottom blade, the long one, and BK on the dial.
Would need to see a closeup of the side of the stack to be more help.

[shadow67]

Thanks for the response. I will try to post another pic of the connections. Here are some other pics of the outside I took.

[Whitcrane76]

These might help you.

[shadow67]

Thanks. I think I can figure out the original wiring standard from these. For some reason this phone has been changed. I don't know if someone removed the screw terminal to solder the wire for some special purpose or it somehow was lost and this was done as a fix, changing the wiring around. I guess if I can find a screw for the connection I could rewire the phone as per spec. I was just wondering if I could get it to work the way it is. It came with a receiver and cord but it is not currently connected.

[poplar1]

Are all 3 contacts present? It appears that there is more than just the screw missing.

[FABphones]

...when I opened this thing up it looks very strange...

Would you add more photos, inc sideways.

[shadow67]

i will try to post more tonight. thanks

[poplar1]

Any more photos of the hookswitch?

[shadow67]

Sorry it took me so long to get the photos but here they are

[shadow67]

And a few more

[RB]

Hi Shadow.
First off, don't believe anything I say...
Your set "appears" to be a mutt.
The switch stack looks more for a 21 set than a 20.
I can see the 20 on the perch, but the stack is for a 21. I believe, anyway.
Does your set have a horse shoe terminal strip in the base?
Based on my limited finding, your switch stack is for a "series" set, not a booster set.
Do you have the bell box? that would tell more.
Here is a pic of a 21 set showing your stack config.
If you wish to have it be a 20 set, you will need to replace that stack with one for a 20.
I do not think you will be able to use that one for a 20 config. IMHO

[poplar1]

RB, Shadow's switch is definitely *not* from an AE 21. It is for a Western Electric 20AL. Unfortunately, someone has tried to rearrange the contact springs and has removed some of the other parts. All 3 springs should make when the receiver is off the hook.

[shadow67]

Thank you for those replies. Yes the stem and switch look similar to other 20ALs I have seen, although as you say it looks messed with. Fortunately I did not pay a large amount for this phone. I was drawn by the relatively low price and the *329* transmitter with American Bell markings on the back. I was wondering how I might make it operational as is, but T this point I think it might be easier to find another switch. It did not come with a subset but I have some to test it with.

I really love the elegant looks of a Western candlestick and have a few, mostly manual ones. My favorites are the nickel 20Bs. What I would really like next is a rotary one with a number 2 dial, but those are always so expensive. When I first started collecting I bought a couple of "restored" ones online. They look great but are not original as they have modern transmitters and later dials. As my collection has progressed I appreciate original condition more and shiny new looking finishes are not as important.

[RB]

Poplar... I agree with your correction.
I was trying to make the most of what was left of that stack.
I do not see how rearranging the blades would result in a 3 blade progressive stack in that the inner blade is shaped different than the normal 3 blade set.
I assume then, that this stack was originally a spdt with an added spst switch??? which has been removed.
Shadow, there is a web sight that offers a "new" stack for a 3 blade progressive stack. If that is the direction you wish to pursue?
I do not, however remember what it is???
Poplar, can you direct our friend to that web sight?
I remember the part is not too expensive??? and would fix the problem Shadow is having.